Bikers angry over new parking fees

Bike parking fees have been brought in for the first time in France, sparking protests from two-wheel users in several towns including hundreds of bikers who jammed a Paris suburb. Vincennes and nearby Char­en­ton-le-Pont set the charges in April. Both claim that because there are now more two-wheelers on streets riders should pay for the space they take up.

Biker protest group FFMC fears other towns could follow. Paris organiser Jean-Marc Bel­otti said: “When towns are trying to avoid traffic jams it is strange to target two-wheelers as they improve traffic flow. “Today our streets have many more scooters and almost all are former car drivers, so fewer cars on the streets. Two-wheelers should be promoted, not taxed.”

New parking systems where drivers register number plates on the meter have allowed the towns to introduce charges instead of paper tickets.

The fees are about a third of what car drivers pay.

Residents in both towns backed imposing fees, telling journalists bikes and scooters too often block the pavements.